This invention relates to a child protecting mechanism in a door lock apparatus for an automotive vehicle.
A known child protecting mechanism of this kind is as disclosed in the specification of Japanese Utility Model Application Laid Open (KOKAI) No. 55-49403. This prior-art child protecting mechanism includes a base, an opening lever for actuating an opening/closing mechanism, an inside lever connected to an inside handle, an opening lift lever for transmitting the turning motion to the opening lever to turn the opening lever, and a child protecting lever for preventing the turning motion of the inside lever from being transmitted to the opening lever, with the opening lever, opening lift lever and child protecting lever being pivotally supported on the base. The opening lift lever is capable of being engaged with the opening lever, and is capable of being engaged also with the inside lever and child protecting lever via the same slide pin. By turning the child protecting lever, the slide pin is caused to slide to disengage the inside lever and the opening lift lever, thereby placing the inside lever in a freely swinging state and establishing a locked condition.
This conventional child protecting mechanism involves certain shortcomings. Specifically, since sliding the slide pin engages and disengages the inside lever and the opening lift lever to render the turning motion of the inside lever transmittable or nontransmittable to the opening lever, namely to establish the unlocked or locked state, a change with the passage of time and the intrusion of sand and dust or the like can detract from the slidability of the slide pin. Consequently, a larger force is required to manipulate the child protecting lever, and there is the danger that the child protecting lever may become inoperable. In addition, the mechanism has a large number of component parts, assembly is difficult and costs are high.